Game



M. SZATROW March 9, 1943.

GAME

Filed Sept. l2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l Mmh 9, 1943. l M. szATRow2,313,303

GAME

Filed sept. 12., 1940 3 sheets-sheet 3 159,10. ,Ijt'gJ/ ,g1g/1,

a u a RECORDER o1'- 1HE SILVER SUBMARINE No.9

POSITION RECORDER OF THE SILVER SUBMARINE No.5

Patented er. e, ree

Nikolai Szatrow, r la, P. i.; vested in ci.:

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a game simulating naval warfare or conquest,and more particularly to a game of skill to be played by two or moreplayers, each of whom represent a warring nation and directs themovements and maneuvers of a fleet of simulated warships, includingwarships of diierent classes having varying ring power or combatability.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a game of skillsimulating modern naval warfare between two or more contestants, and toprovide a game wherein definite variations of maneuvers and tactics maybe improvised by the players for successfully concluding the gaine inany one of a number of ways, as provided by the rules and as willhereinafter be more fully explained.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a naval game of skillmore interesting than there were any on the market before.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawings,which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the game board,

Figure 2 is an `edge view in elevation of the same, v

Figure 3 is a side e1evationa1 view of one of the warships forming oneof a plurality of playing pieces of the game,

Figure 3A is a top plan View of the same,

Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are side elevational views similar to Figure 3, ofa heavy cruiser, a light cruiser, a destroyer and a submarine,respectively, forming other types of playing pieces o the game,-

Figures 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A are top plan views similar to Figure 3A, ofthe heavy cruiser, light cruiser, destroyer and submarine, respectively,

Figure 8 is a plan view of a submarine chart,

Figure 9 is an elevational View of one of flags forming a part of thegame apparatus,

Figure 10 is a plan view of one side of one of the recorders,

Figure 11 is an edge view in elevation of the same,

Figure 12 is a plan view of thel opposite side of the same,

Figure 13 is a plan view of a plurality of diagrams illustrating .themovements and turns of the ships, forming th playing pieces, and

Figure 14 is a plan view oi a plurality of diagrams relating to attackand defense tactics of the warships.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designatecorresponding parts throughout the different views,the game apparatus includes a game board I5, having a playing areadesignated generally I6, on one side thereof. The game board, as bestseen in Figure 2, is formed of the sections il and i8 which are adaptedto be folded on each other at I9 to enclose and protect the playing areai8, when the game board i5 is not in use, and also to make it portable.

The playing area i6 is constructed to simulate Y generally a map of anarea including two coast lines divided by a sea area and is providedwith an arrow 20, at the center thereof, 'pointing-toward the upper endof the playing area i6 to designate the direction north by the letter N.'I'he directions east, south and west are indicated, respectively, atthe right of the arrow 2d, at the tail thereof, and at the left thereofby the letters E, S and W. Along the right and left hand edges, or alongthe east and west sides of the playing area i6 are corresponding Coastlines 2i, having corresponding Peninsulas 22 adjacent the ends thereof.".ihe coast lines 2i represent twowarring nations, a Silver Nation tothe east and a Gold Nation to the west. having correspondinglypositioned Capltols 23 at the 'centers of the coast lines 2l. Betweenthecoast lines 2i is a Water area 2d, divided as indicated on theplaying area i6 to North and South Oceans, Eastern and Western Seas, andadjacent each of the coast lines Bays" and Gulfs. Substantially in thecenter of the playing area i6 is a groupv of Islands" 25, which arecorre= spondingly located relatively to each of the coast lines 2i.

. The water or'sea area Zl is composed of a plurality of triangles d0,sides of which form equally spaced, substantially parallel vertical, ornorth and south lines 2t, and similarhorizontal, or

east and west lines 2l and the diagonal lines 2d designated 30. Thelines Z6 are numbered consecutively from west to east with the numeralsl to l1 inclusive, while the lines 2l are similarly marked by theletters A to M," inclusive, from ver.

north to south. 'These designations being inscribed on the playing areaI 6, adjacent the ends of the lines 2E and 21 to provide means forreadily spotting and designating the various points of f position 29, orstrategic points 30. For example,- the strategic point 30, at the centerof the playing area I6, is situated at G--6.

The peninsulas 22 are also provided with simulated Forts" 3| and thepoints of position adjacent thereto are distinctively designated bysemi-circles 32, to mark the range of re of the forts 3l.

The game is adapted to be played by two or more players where one of theparties represents one of the two warring nations and each player isprovided with a set of playing pieces, designated generally 33 andcomprising a Navy The playing pieces of each navy 33, are distinctivelycolored, as in gold and silver or other distinctive colors to representthe gold and silver nations and each of said navies includes seventeenplaying pieces which are of the shape and size to simulate five classesof warships, as illustrated in Figures 3 to 7 and Figures 3A to 7A. Eachnavy 33 includes two warships, having the symbol 1, which representBattleships; three warships, having the symbol 2 which represent HeavyCruisers; four warships having the symbo. 3 which represent LightCruisers; six warsliips, having the symbol 4 which represent Destroyersand two warships having the symbol 5 which represent Submarines.

The gaine apparatus also includes a number of iiags 34 composed of twogroups, which are colored to correspond to the navies 33. The flags 34are provided with supporting standards or staffs having base portions attheir lower ends for mounting them on the playing area I6.

The game apparatus also includes a plurality of submarine charts, asillustrated in Figure 8,

for use in charting the position of submerged submarines including theirfinal surface position, before submerging, and their first or secondsubmerged position and their direction. The iinal surface position, aswill hereinafter be explained, is made known to the opponent while thesubmerged positions are kept secret. The charts 35, which areadapted tobe retained in the recorders or folders 36. are composed of the sides orcovers l31 .and 38 which are distinctively colored and on which areinscribed, respectively, 1st position and 2nd position, to indicate thenumber of movements a submarine has made since submerging, which is madeknown to the opponent by turning the recorder or folder 36 over toexpose first the side 31 and then the side 38.

RULES Fon PLAYING THE GAME Description of diagrams 4 In Figure 13, thefour diagrams illustrate movements and turns of the warships.

Diagram l, as in each of the following diagrams, illustrates a portionof the water area and shows by means of the arrow-heads on the lines I26, 2l and 28 thereof, every direction along which a ship can proceedfrom the point of position 29, at the center of the diagram. The letters"A of each of the points of position 29 designate a point on which awarship may be located and also to which a warship may proceed from thecenter point A. The letters B indicate junctions of the diagonal lines28 on which a ship may not be placed.

In diagrams 2 and 3, the arrow-heads A inpeninsulas 2 2.

dicate that the warship whenf positioned on the center point of positionwith lits bow pointing to the north or toward the upper end of thediagram may only move in that direction, and the arrowheads "B thedirection in 'which the warship cannot go if its direction is notpreviously changed. The points of position in ldiagrams 2 and 3, markedC, are the only points which a ship can reach with one movement, or onone go of a player.

In a diagram 4, the curved arrows indicate the limit of turning movementof a warship, assuming that it is positioned, as seen in diagram 2, withits bow pointing toward the north. It will be obvious that the ship,thus positioned, can turn to the right or left through an arc of either45 or 90 degrees toward either the northeast or the northwest, or theeast or west, respectively, when originally pointing toward the point ofposition A.

In Figure 14, four diagrams are shown,^similar to the Idiagrams ofFigure 13, but illustrating attack and defense tactics-of warships andrules relating to their firing power. In diagram 5 the warship A issurrounded by eight other warships and positioned with its bow pointingto the north or toward a. warship B." The warship A can sink only theship B because the bow of the ship A is pointing. toward the ship B. Theother seven shipsk C cannot be sunk by the ship A because the bow of theship 'Af is not pointing towards any of the ships C.

In diagram 6, the warship B is positioned with its stern toward the bowof the ship A and as, according to the rules of the game, a ship is notvulnerable from its stern, it cannot be sunk by the ship A.

In diagram 1, the ships"A" and B are positioned with their bows directedtoward each other so that each ship can fire upon the other. When thuspositioned the larger class ship can sink the smaller -ship and if bothships are of the same class neither can be sunk. Thus battleships cansink all other classes of ships, when positioned as in diagram 1, heavycruisers may sink classes 3, 4 and 5, light cruisers may sink classes 4and 5 and destroyers Vmay sink submarines.

In diagram 8 any one of the ships B" regardless of its size can sink theship A because the bows of the ships B" are directed toward the side ofthe ship A, while the ship A" cannot sink any of the otherv ships Bbecause its bow is notA directed toward `any of the ships B.

The start ofthe game To begin playing, each of the two contestantslselect a coast line 2l and a navy 33 of a corresponding color. Thewarships of the two navies are then initially positioned, as illustratedin dotted lines of Figure 1, with an outer row composed of a lightcruiser flanked on either side by three destroyers, a second rowcomposed of three heavy cruisers and two light cruisers disposedtherebetween. lThe outermost heavy cruisers of the seco-nd row are ankedby submarines located in the Gulfs on the inner sides of the A third orback row includes a light cruiser located on a strategic point 30adasiaeos constitutes a movement of one of the ships of his navyforwardly and in a direction toward which the bow of said ship ispointing, or in lieu thereof a turning movement of a ship, asillustrated in diagram f3, and previously described, as a move of aplayer.

The movements and turns of wdrships `to the next point of position in astraight line,

as previously described regard to diagrams and 3. -No two ships may, atthe same time, occupy the same point of position 29 except where one ofthe ships is a submarine which is in a simulated submerged position, aswill here-l inafter be more fully described, and no ship may move acrossany part of the coast lines 2l or the islands 25.

Attack and defense tactics of warships ln view of certain considerationsof strategy in the play of the game, any ship or submarine on thesurface may sink an enemy ship on the surface, only when the enemy shiplies so that the bow of the first ship is directed toward the starboardor port side of the enemy ship, as in diagrams 5 and 8, and the twoships are on adjacent points of position; the larger ship may sink thesmaller when two ships meet bow to bow, on adjacent points of position,or if of the saine class neither ship can be sunk, as explained in thedescription of diagram l. A ship, upon sinking an enemy ship, is movedto the point of position of the sunken ship, which, is removed from thegame and this constitutes a turn or play. No ship may sink another shipwhere the two ships are separated by an island or penin- Sula. Any ship,which is fighting against a closely submerged submarine can resort to aDepth Charge by placing the ship onthe point of position 29 or turningit upon the same, where the submerged submarine is believed to belocated, and to which the player must state that a depth charge'is beingdropped simultaneously with a movement or turn, which constitutes a goby the player and cannot be done at the same time of the sinking ofanother ship. Ifthe submerged submarine is situated at the pointofposition from which the depth charge is dropped, it is considereddestroyed, and must be removed from the game. If the opponent does notannounce the loss of the submarine, which is done immediately, theplayer making the depth charge should record the position, as heretoforeexplained, on a separate sheet so that he may later be able to cheek theposition of his opponents submarines by means of the submarine chart 35,of that particular submarine, when. it

again returns to the surface, as will hereinafter y'be explained. Thesinking of an enemy ship,

when there is such an opportunity, is not obligatory. It is left to thediscretion of the players.

The three problems It is the aim oi each player to achieve victory byaccomplishing a dominating position over the other player by acquiringand later holding simultaneously certain groups of objectives, any

one of which groups consistutes a victory proa vided that the opponentshall have one final move and in this move is unable to recover one ofthe objectives of one of the aforementioned groups, being relied upon bythe first player.

The iirst problem, or group of objectives by means of which a played maysuccessfully win the game may be accomplished by the player occupyingthe strategic point 30 between the is lands 25 and located at Ghand alsooccupy-u ing the strategic point Sil which is adjacent to his opponentscapitol 23 and vice versa.

The second problem, or group of objectives denoting a victory for one ofthe players mayY be obtained by either player occupying the strategicpoint Sii at (TT-, and the two strategic points te adjacent hisopponents ports 39, and vice versa.

The third, or final problem, or manner of obtaining victory isaccomplished by capturing the opponents capitol 23 by occupying thestrategic point 393, adjacent thereto and also capturing eitther of theopponent's north port 3Q or his south port 39, by occupation of thestrategic point @il adjacent thereto. in other words victory is attainedwhen the capitol is captured and held with one or" the ports or withneutral islands and without the capitol all three oi the rest ofstrategie points must be held for the victory.

Each player may adopt strategy leading to accomplishment of any one ofthe three problems or may adopt a defensive strategy only, withoutannouncing his intention as a players strategy may depend upon and bevaried by the movements or his opponent.

A strategic point is considered occupied, when taken by a warship,except a submarine and provided that the opponent on his neat move doesnot sink the warship. A strategic point lost to the opponent may beretaken by reoccupation either by driving the opponents warshiptherefrom or by sinking the enemy ship. However, where the enemy ship isdriven from a strategic point, that point is not retaken until actuallyreoccupied. The flags are used to substitute the warships at the'strategic points after such Warships take the strategic points, assometimes such warships are needed somewhere else. The nags sil are alsoused `by a player to indicate that an opponents fort 3l has beendisabled or.Silenced and a player succeeds in this mission as willhereinafter be described. The presence oi a flag upon a strategic pointindicates the presence of a landing party left ashore, and is removedwhen said point is retaken by warship of kthe navy of the opposite side.The forts 3l, located on the outer side of penlnsulas 22, as heretoforedescribed,

l are capable of iring to the adjacent points of position 29 marked bythe arcuately shaped lines 32, so'that an enemy warship lwhich comesupon one of these points of position 29 may be sunk by the iire from thefort regardless o the 4direction in which the ship is pointing and thesinking of the ship by the fort is considered as a move of the player. Afort is considered silenced for the rest of the time the game lasts ifan enemy ship succeeds in taking the port 39 adjacent thereto byoccupation of its strategic point 3b. However, the disabling of the fortdoes not take place until after the next four moves of the player whosefort is being silenced. '-The enemy ships may thereafter safely pass thepoint of position 29 adjacent to the/silenced fort.

The operation of submerged submarines The submarines 5 of the two naviesmay move upon the surface of the water area 24, similar to the otherwarships, or in simulated submersion. In the latter case the submarinewhen submerged is removed from the playing area I6, during the period ofsubmersion and its imaginary moves and positions are recorded on a chart35 which shows its final surface position and its first and secondsubmerged positions. For example, when a submarine of one player issubmerged at the point of position where the vertical line 26,designated 5, crosses the horizontal line 2l, designated J, and isfacing with its bow to the upper left corner of the playing area I6, atthe time, the spaces beneath the words Location and beside the wordsFinal Surface Position would be marked J-5, and the space bneath thewordA Direction would be marked N. W. to indicate that the submarine wasfacing northwest. The final surface position is' the submarine positionfrom which it is going to be submerged. 'I'his much of the record of thesubmarine may be seen by the opponent but the first and second submergedpositions of the submarine may not be seen by the opponent and nochanges or erasures may be made on a submarine chart. The firstsubmerged position of a submarine differs from the final surfaceposition by imaginary movement of submarine to adjacent point ofposition where the location is different and direction is the same or bytum on the same point of position where the direction is different butthe location is the same. A submerged submarine makes the same types ofmoves, including turns, as a surface vessel but the submergings andemergings are made simultaneously with a movement or turn. The first andsecond submerged positions of a submarine, are kept secret until thesubmarine returns to the surface, at which time its chart is exhibitedto the opponent.' When the first submerged position is recorded on thechart it is then inserted vin a recorder or folder 36 and placed beside'the game board I5, with the side 31 thereof, uppermost. When the secondsubmerged move of the submarine is made, which may be at any future;

turn of the playcr'to Whom the submarine belongs, it is recorded on itschart after which the recorder is turned over to expose the side 38. Thethird move of the submarine must lnclude returning to the surface, atwhich time the submarine is placed on its new or same'location and thenits chart is open for inspection by the opponent. Should the data of thesubaaiasos marine chart indicate moves not permitted by the terms of thegame, as heretofore described, or if the moves of the submarine do notcorrespond to the data on the chart, the submarine is declared lost asif sunk by the opponents ship and if one of the opponent's ships hasbeen sunk by the submarine, the ship is returned to its former position.A submarine may return to the surface at any time desired, and from anysubmerged position, but only upon a vacant point of position 29, or at apoint of position occupied by an enemy ship, which it sinkssimultaneously. A submarine submerging may be placed imaginarily at apoint of position 29 even if occupied by another ship. A submarine onthe surface has the qualifications of a warship of the smallest class,but when submerged its value is greatly increased chiefly dueto itsunseen turns and moves and its capacity to make a sudden surpriseattack. The submarine, submerged, in addition to-its general offsensivepower under water, which is of the equivalent of its power on thesurface, has the advantage of being able to sink an enemy ship whichhappens to be at the same point of position above her, regardless of thelatters direction. A submerged submarine, upon sinking a ship, must riseto the surface and make the necessary movement or turnsirnultaneously. i

I claim as my invention:

A game apparatus for use with sets of distinctively marked playingpieces simulating warships of different classes including submarines,comprising a game board having a playing area. provided withintersecting horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines forming the pathsalong which said playing'pieces are movable over the Y playing area, theintersections of the horizontal,

vertical and diagonal vlines being distinctively marked to form stoppingand turning points of the playing pieces, said lines defining theturning movement of the playing pieces and deflnitely indicating theposition in which the playing pieces are facing on said points forindicating the directionn which they can fire and from which they can besuccessful1yfired"f upon, the distance between adjacent pointsconstituting the effective firing range of the playing pieces; andrecorders forming to record simulated submerged movements of saidsubmarines to provide a permanent rec- .ord of the simulated submergedpositions of the i to be kept secretly by each player logs, tofbe"q usedin conjunction with said game apparatus

